Mason High School - Branding Iron Yearbook (Mason, TX)

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the damage caused by drought during these years. Most of the creeks became very dry, causing stock to suffer and die. It is ever said that In some instances the people had to haul their drinking water a distance of from three to ten miles. Added to these harships of the '60’s was the fact that most of the able bodied men were in military service. In the early seventies what was known as the Iloodoo” war broke out between two .actions of the jjeople of Mason county. This war started from cattle stealing. Numerous hangings by mobs took place. In the pasture of Mr. Jacob Scbuessler there stands a tri « where five men were hanged by a mob, after they had been taken from the county Jail. The faction led by the notorious Scott Cooley sprang up, its members being sympathizers of the cattle thieves who were being mobbed and hanged. For seven years this was continued. always increasing in the extent of its horror. In the spring of 1870, Mr. Dan Hoerster was killed by Scott Cooley on the square in Mason. But finally with the death of Scoti Cooley in 1K77 the two factions disbanded and soon peace reigned supreme again. Then the people again began to follow more useful and peaceful pursuits. Following the close of this war. the history of Mason lists been one of progress. The population of Mason County in 1S80 totaled six hundred and thirty inhabitants: in 1900 the population of Mason was two thousand six hu dred and fifty-five people, and when the census of Mason County was taken in 1U20, it was found that there were nearly five thousand | eople in the county. The population of the town of Mason at tIk- present .late is about fifteen hundred |MM»ple. In lstis. Mason held its lirst Confederate reunion and it has become a custom t« have this reunion each year. In 1907 the people of Mason began to see a iuhnI of a larger and more modern court house. The old one was torn down a: 1 on the same site one of the most modern court houses in Central or V»»st Texas lias been built. It is built of brown sandstone. When the United States entered the world war in 1917 the young men of the county responded very readily. Between three and four hundred men fiom Mason County went to the army: i7i of these men lost their lives while in service. In 1922 Mason’s new sixty-five thousand dollar high school building was completed. Mason has a school for which it can truly be proud. It has affiliation credits with all the big universities and colleges of the South, which total twenty-three. Stock raising is still the principal occupation of the people of Mason county, although diversified farming is also being carried on now to a great extent. About thirty thousand head of cattle are shipiied each year. Nearly all cattle raised in Mason County arc of good breeding. About one hundred and twelve thousand pounds of wool is shipped each year as well as fifty eight thousand pounds of mohair. In addition to these about four thousand and five hundred hogs are marketed from Mason County each year. Last year two hundred and twelve thousand pou; ds of pecans were shipped from the county. Several thousand turkeys were also sold. Since 1900 Mason County has averaged nearly three thousand and five hundred bales of cotton. In closing, kind readers we wish to say that the purpose of placing this history of the county is i ot only to show the rapid progress the people of Mason County have made in the past few years, but also to remind you of the hardships suffered by our forefathers, those sturdy pioneers, who paved the way for 011 and founded a civilization out of the wilderness, that will last forever.

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THE First settlers of Mason came in the early 40’s. A few years later the overflow of Fisher and Miller’s eolony, which was originally established at Fredericksburg, Ih gan pushing into the territory that now comprises Mason county. They settled along the luniks of the Llano River and on the hanks of the tributaries of the Llano River. Their principal occupation was stock raising, although they also did farming on a small scale. These settlers encountered many hardships, which included raids by tin ('onunanche and Kiowa Indians, drought, lack of means of transportation, and numerous others. Hut due to their jierseverance. they gradually overcame these difficulties and their communities tiegan to grow. Among these tlrst settlers were Jacob Sehuessler. (’has. Wartenlmch. who are still living and raiding in Mason; Mrs. Anna Martin, one of the pioneer women bank presidents of Texas, and who is also still living: Otto Donop. Wilson Hey. John Lem burg. Sr.. August and Ernest Martin, It. Melius. Jerry and Matthew Cnvaness. Thomas Murray. Henry Hoerster. Sr.. Peter Birk. C. C. Smith. Morris I ehman. Jas. L. I atliam. Tlios. Milligan. James M. Hunter. Win. Hofmann, and numerous others. The descendants of these sturdy pioneers are today tin leading citizens of Mason and Maso i County. In 1845. a fort was erected by the United States government on Post Hill, which is now a suburb of the thriving city of Mason, at which soldiers were stationed to protect the settlers from the depredations of the Indians. The fort was named in honor of (’apt. Mason, one of the tlrst commandants of the fort. Among the tlrst officers to Is stationed at the fort was Robert Edward Ix e. then a captain in the Second Dragoons, and whose name is now dmrest to the hearts of all true sons of the South. Another officer who was statiomsl at Fort Mason in the early days, and who later won Civil War fame, was 1 Gen. Longstreet. His descendants still own a tract «»f land in Mason. After the erection of the fort, a small village gradually lM gan to spring up around it. Some of the lirst business men of Mason were William Kooek. Peter Birk. C. Smith, and David Doole. The village lK gan to build up but the hardshi|is co .tinued. However, the pioneers never weakened, but kept on fighting obstacles, and paving the way to lietter days with that tenacity of purixise for which they are famous. Mason County was organized August 2. ISAS, and naturally. Mason was made tin-county seat. Mason County consists of 1108 square milt of territory. The tlrst county officers were John McSween. Chief Justice. Thomas Milligan. Sheriff. L. Bergkorf. Assessor and Collector. W. J. Todd. County Clerk, and W. I.. Lewis. District Clerk. Tin first deed was recorded on Xovemlier IS. 1858. by Clerk Todd. The tlrst court house of Mason County was hurmsl January 21. 1S77, destroying all county pajiers. but destroying only Imoks Card E of the deed records. When the Civil War broke out i:i the early sixties Fort Mason was alMindoued by the soldiers to go into luittle for the North or South, and tin depredations by the indian-s again Itegan to liecome more frightful. Thomas Milligan, tin first sheriff of Mason County was ambushed and killed by the Indians in February, isuo. while he was out horse hunting. There are numerous other events of indian atrocities which we could relate, but we have not time nor space to do so. Add« d to these depredations by the Indians in the Ws. was

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